How fitting that the person writing this very article just spent two hours procrastinating: reading Love Island recaps, unloading the dishwasher and examining their pores in the mirror. If you’re reading this, you can probably relate to the feeling that you’d rather do anything than what you’re supposed to do. 

The word procrastination comes from the Latin verb procrastinare, meaning to move something to tomorrow. (US founding father Ben Franklin — who was, quite frankly, an overachiever — famously advised against this: “Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today,” he said.) Most of us procrastinate at some point in our lives, while about 20 per cent of folks are habitual procrastinators. Procrastination might feel good in the moment, especially when avoiding a task you associate with negative feelings, like boredom, anxiety or self-doubt (doing your taxes or writing your CV, for example). But procrastination can lead to even more negative feelings, like stress and guilt, while chronic procrastination can contribute to poor performance, depression, insomnia and even cardiovascular issues (no thanks!). 

So, what are you supposed to do about it? We’ve gathered a few tips for overcoming procrastination. At the very least, consider this a kick up the arse for you to do that thing you’ve been putting off. It’ll feel soooo good when you finish. 

UNDERSTAND WHY YOU PROCRASTINATE It’s important to know that procrastination is not the same thing as laziness or poor time management. After all, people who are procrastinating will often throw themselves into mundane or less immediate tasks, like laundry or baking or re-organising their bookshelf by colour, because they’re less invested in the outcomes of those tasks. Procrastination is more often an emotional regulation issue. You’ll avoid doing something you think will make you feel bad, either because it’s boring or frustrating or it won’t be as perfect as you want it to be (i.e. what if you write a novel, then realise it sucks?). You could also be easily distracted, glued to your phone or video games, or susceptible to short-term payoff (deciding to hang out with your friends does feel better in the moment than sitting down to pay a bill, for example). Understanding why you procrastinate can help you find ways to stop. 

REFRAME YOUR THOUGHTS Challenge the negative thoughts that lead to procrastination in the first place — that you’re not good enough, or that you won’t be able to handle a task, or that it will be too tedious. This isn’t a quick fix, but it gets easier with practice. Therapy can help, or you can remind yourself of times where you have accomplished a similar task, proving to yourself that you can do it. When you’re next tempted to procrastinate, focus instead on more positive, motivating emotions: that little high you know you’ll get from crossing something off your to-do list, the joy of learning something new or how completing the task might make your life better in some way. 

BREAK TASKS DOWN Procrastination is often a matter of momentum. Staring at a blank page feels much more hopeless than staring at a sentence or two. Every little achievement gives you more motivation to move onto the next one. Breaking tasks into smaller — even tiny — components will help you move forward. So, if you have to write an essay, start by opening your laptop, writing your name down and typing out one sentence — even if you hate it.

DEVELOP STRATEGIES THAT WORK FOR YOU Once you’ve challenged the emotions that lead you to procrastinate, you can practise strategies that might work for you. There’s zillions of time-management tools on the internet, like the Pomodoro Timer, which breaks work time into manageable increments with regular breaks, or apps that restrict social media use, or YouTube channels that play chill, lo-fi music that is supposed to help you focus. There’s also the 10-minute trick, which fools your brain into thinking that you only have to do something for 10 minutes. Often, you’ll find that you’re happy to keep going once the 10 minutes are up. 

BE KIND TO YOURSELF No matter how many tools you develop to overcome procrastination, always remember that you’re human, and forcing yourself to be productive all the time can have negative consequences, too. Relaxation is always important (even naps can help with motivation, alertness and memory), as long as you work on finding the right balance for you. 

Everyone procrastinates; it’s not a moral failure. You might even procrastinate for perfectly logical reasons (doing your taxes is actually pretty tedious). Feeling guilty about it will only make the problem worse. Simply forgiving yourself for procrastination can prevent you from procrastinating in the future.